Alternative Surfaces for outside runs

Just wondering if anybody has any ideas for an alternative surface for an outside run.

At the sanctuary where I work we were lucky enough to receive a large enough donation of money to build new permanent outside runs for all the bunnies.

The runs were wonderful during the summer, they all thoroughly enjoyed the grass. Now we have a problem, with all the wet weather we have had and the unfortunate poor drainage in the ground the runs become a mud bath.

We then laid some proper membrane and bark in the hope that this would solve the problem, but again the bark is now starting to hold water and rot down a little. We do now realise that bark was maybe not the best option

Does anybody have any ideas for a suitable alternative to keep the runs useable during the winter? During good dry days the bunnies all love spending the day out in their runs.

They do have plenty of places to hide, and are able to sit up on their hiding boxes if they wish. They also have a roof over 1/4 of the run to sit under during showers, or to sit in the shade during the summer.

Cerys

What about flagged runs with grass boxes in them that can be more easily drained - allowing access to fresh grass plus lots of run space and surfaces that keep the nails low

I agree. I think flagged runs would be easier to disinfect too should you need to. I think this is especially important in a rescue enviroment when you have so many different buns coming in and out.

Could you lay paving slabs?

I would agree, you want either concrete or paving slabs for easy cleaning/drying out in wet weather. In both cases you want to lay them on or just above the current ground level with a very slight (not really noticeable) slope so the rain runs off instead of pooling away.

It might also help to note with way the ground slopes currently and then put some drainage in in the lower area to encourage rain to soak away.

hi i have just read some of these posts and i am interested in seeing what you are talking about with regard to the boxes of grass :roll: i dont suppose osmeone could put a picture up???????

Yes paving slabs sound like a very good idea. The area where the runs are built is on a slight slope so there is natural run off anyway, and we can also run a drain along the very bottom of the runs to catch water when the runs are hosed.

I think that something like paving slabs really are going to be the only option. It's a shame about the grass, but I can grow grass in deep litter trays, and there are plenty of places where I can go to collect grass for them to eat.

Their purpose built night time accommodation is purpose built, with a concrete base, it is brilliant and all the runs get hosed and scrubbed every day. They all get nice deep hay beds to sleep in so they aren't sitting on concrete, and they have a little sleeping area up a chube into the shed behind.

Hopefully we can get these runs sorted soon, they are so hard to clean at the moment! I will try and get some pics up of them from the summer when they looked awesome!

Cerys